Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Purple and blue log cabin pillow-making

This past holiday season, one of my best friends/former college roommate and I decided to exchange handmade gifts. Kristina is an avid and very skilled crocheter; I knew I'd be lucky to receive anything she made me. In turn, I decided to make a pillow out of strips of her favorite colors to furnish her home office.


I was inspired by my good friend Rachel, who I miss dearly (she moved to Seattle this year - lucky SMQG!). Her Bohemian Rhapsody quilt has always stuck out in my mind as lovelier than words. I experimented with making log cabins out of 2.5" strips. Let me just emphasize how much I wanted to keep this pillow!


I quilted a spiral from the middle, using my FMQ foot. While my circles weren't perfect, I was still pleased with the results.


The back was a bit more of a puzzle. I only had one large piece of the fabric I wanted to use (a navy Denyse Schmidt print), so I couldn't make a full envelope back. Then, I had a brain blast. Since Kristina is also a sewist (she sewed clothes in high school and I taught her how to quilt), I knew she would appreciate a rainbow of selvages.This is the first time I've delved into my overflowing selvage basket after almost 5 years of collecting. I still found myself going all Gollum over them, though.


Luckily, many of my selvages are long, so there's plenty left for me to use in 2015 (I'd love to start a selvage quilt but I haven't been inspired with the right design yet). In any case, the selvages made a pretty pillow back. I definitely want to try this again soon, and maybe write a tutorial for the process?


This was a fun, satisfying project that didn't feel like an obligation. For my beautiful friend, it was worth the time and materials. Check out the lovely purple and gray chevron scarf she made me! It's totally my style and I've been wearing it every day to work!



Oh, and I'm sooo looking forward to all the swaps I've committed to this year with friends! The first is next week at our January CJMQG meeting - it's our Secret Quilter Gift Exchange, elections, and holiday party. I am actually already finished with my swap item, but I can't share even a peek yet! I'm also participating in a mini quilt swap with the lovely Liz at Mid Atlantic Mod and another round of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilts. Plus, I need to finish my Supernova Quilt with Karin!


 Finally, I couldn't help taking a bunch of pictures of our bedroom. I just hung up Pixie Sticks, and my husband's Doctor Who quilt and my Improv Wave pillow just fit in so nicely with this purple and blue log cabin experimental pillow... can you tell we love blue and purple around here?




13 comments:

  1. Your pillow turned out gorgeous, and I love that the scarf also color coordinates with the pillow. Great friends love the same colors. :)

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  2. Pretty pillow!! I love swaps with friends far more than mass internet ones these days...something about getting a present made especially for you by someone who knows where the bodies are....:D And that scarf looks so cozy!!!

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  3. It looks like it was a fun swap for both of you. The colors are so pretty.

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  4. Aww I miss you guys too! The pillow turned out great. I am not sure who lucked out the pillow rivals the crocheted scarf equally :)

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  5. The pillow is so pretty! Love the spiral quilting. And the scarf is so you! Nice trade!

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  6. The pillow turned out really well. Great swap :)

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  7. Aww, yeah it looks totally at home on your bed! You will have to make a sister pillow to keep! Love the selvages detail on the back, that is very cute!

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  8. You and your friend obviously have very similar tastes :) I'm still surprised that you let this leave your house, lol. The scarf she made you is gorgeous though. I can't wait until I can give you your present at MOD! I've already started sewing. And SotTQ is going to be so much fun! What a great year it will be!!!

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  9. HA! That's the first thing I thought when I saw this pillow -- those colors are so you. The next-best thing to keeping a beautifully purple-y pillow for yourself is giving it to a friend, for sure. : )

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  10. Wow! You are a clever quilter. Love the wall hanging in your bedroom.

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  11. Oooh, I love your pillow! I can totally understand the reluctance to giving it up! Both you and your friend scored though! Thanks for linking up to TGIFF!

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  12. Lovely cushion, oops, sorry, pillow (we call them cushions here in Oz). My colours too, especially purple!

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